Written by: Chantelle Muise
By day, it’s a typical mild mannered fair. The CNE is steadily streaming a number of kids from ages 1 to 92, through it’s gates when it opens at 10 am. If it’s too hot under the sun, or on occasion rainy, you have a plethora of indoor options to tickle any fancy. People drink lots, eat a ton, and you may find it hard to find a cool spot under a tree for a rest because they are all taken up. You can shop till your heart’s content or see a show – sure it’s exciting and fun to be there, but you haven’t even seen the magic yet!
By night, when the sun goes down and the bright colourful lights of the whirling rides come on – something different fills the air! If you were tired, now you have a fresh energy. If you are older, now you have been taken back to when you were young and if you’re young, you’re in awe! Little carts come out selling flickering objects that even if you’re an adult, like myself, you can not resist and you find yourself falling for the flair and buying a pair of light up Bunny ears ( I couldn’t help myself) or a flashing necklace or magic wand! The screams from the rides fill the air and even if you’re not a rider – you want to be!
The EX is no different than Superman. Buy day, it’s nice, polite and likeable! By night, it’s strong, sexy and exciting. I have even seen people just starting to enter the gates around 10pm, when it shuts down around midnight. The Midway becomes Alive with the sounds of clinking glass bottles and ringing bells and I guarantee that you’ll find yourself sucked into the crowd of either onlookers or participants! I love the Midway at night and it’s magic is what pulls me back every year!
See you at the EX!